Accidental Altered Mint Tins Collection

I've been wanting to share my accidental altered mint tins collection with you for some time now. I say it's an accidental collection, because I didn't start putting these together with the purpose of creating a collection. It just so happens that over the years they have accumulated into what I think is the beginnings of a collection and I find that maybe I should do a small series of art using the tins.

This was my first tin project done over 8 years ago. I did it as a way to get through a very hard time in my life. The cards inside have random pics and phrases that I cut out of a magazine. It's very crude and raw.




I used clear tape and cut up index cards as backings to the images and phrases. Very simple concept and took only an hour to do.



Years after I found the above tin, a friend of mine gave me a bag full of empty tins and I was really excited to try another image/word series. This time I wanted it to look more finished. I cut the images to fit exactly and even rounded the corners on the cards.




The deck has vintage imagery and found imagery on one side and famous hand written quotes on the other.


I am always taking art supplies and notebooks with me when I travel and I thought that smaller versions of my supplies would be easier to tote around so I made this set of mini colored pencils.





Then I made this miniature set of watercolors, equipped with a brush and watercolor pencil.





The tins also make a great place to house miniature collections of strange found objects.




Every time I open them up, I feel a sense of wonder, and that is something that inspires me to be creative.






This little collection of ocean glass was gathered in Monterey Bay, by my family and I, on one of our annual visits.


I found a few interesting sites and Flickr groups that can give me some ideas and inspiration for this future Altered Tin Art Series.
1. Altered Art In A Tin, flickr group
2. Fantabulous Aluminum & Tin Can Art, flickr group
3. Tiny Dioramas
I am thinking this series should be more like dioramas, mini assemblages. I can't wait to get started.